Normal
by angellwings
Summary: Josh has some demands regarding how Donna's been acting since he came home from the hospital. Set during the first two episodes of season two.


**A/N: **So, I've started watching The West Wing this weekend. I'm only on season 2 but the season 2 premiere was awfully inspiring for a certain ship of mine. There are other things I should have written before this, however, I couldn't resist. **This is set during the first two episodes of the second season. **

Enjoy!

angellwings

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Normal

By angellwings

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"Do you need anything, Josh? Anything at all?" Donna asked as she walked toward Josh's apartment door to leave.

"What?" Josh asked Donna in shock.

"Coffee? Water? The morning press packet? I'm going back to the office now. I can get it and then bring it back to-"

Josh narrowed his eyes at her. "No to all of the above." He paused before he continued, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Are _you_ okay?" Donna asked worriedly.

"Donna," Josh said sternly as he positioned himself between Donna and the door.

"What?" She asked innocently. "I bought you lunch, by the way. There's an extra charred burger and fries on your kitchen table. My treat."

"Okay, stop," Josh said as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared her down.

"Stop what?" She asked as she feigned ignorance.

"Stop being nice!" Josh yelled. "Stop being considerate and stop buying me lunch! I was shot not bankrupted. I can afford lunch!"

"Why can't I be nice?" Donna asked curiously.

"Because you're never nice! Not to me," Josh told her.

"I am too! Sometimes…"

"Donna," Josh said in a softer tone. "You being nice is not normal. I want normal. Okay?"

"The Doctor said—"

"Donna."

"The Doctor said that you shouldn't—"

"Donna—"

"No, Josh!" She yelled in a huff. "The Doctor said you didn't need any additional stress. If you didn't throw a hissy fit every time someone called from the office I wouldn't even be letting you work from home right now. But you do, so you are. _Against_ Doctor's orders. Against my better judgment and probably against the demands of your own psychological well being. But what does my opinion matter anyway? I'm just the woman who's spent the last three years looking after your every need. Even the needs you don't know you have. So, _no_, I will not go back to being cruel to you while you insist on working your ass off and wearing yourself down even further. That's what you get for defying your doctor. Me being _nice_, okay?"

Josh opened his mouth to speak but Donna stopped him.

"Okay?" She asked with a glare.

"You're not _cruel_, Donna," Josh told her with a small grin.

"Yes, I am," She said with a guilty sigh.

"No, you're sarcastic and dry and absolutely invaluable because of it," Josh told her honestly. "I need your sarcasm and banter and insults, Donna. They keep me honest."

One corner of her mouth quirked up in a grin. "Oh really?"

"If you haven't noticed, I can occasionally seem a bit full of myself—"

"A bit? Josh, you spew enough hot air daily to fill several large balloons. That's more than _a bit_ full of yourself," Donna said as she bit back a smirk.

"You know, I _was_ trying to make a very genuine heartfelt point for once but now I don't know if I feel up to it anymore," Josh said with a teasing glare.

"I'm sorry. Feel free to continue being a sap," Donna said with a wave of her hand as she covered her smirk with her other hand.

"See?" Josh said with a small smile. "You've missed this. Admit it."

"I won't admit to anything," Donna said sternly. She still, however, hid most of her expression with her hand. "Josh, you were making a genuine and heartfelt point?"

"Right, I was saying, I seem a bit full of myself on occasion and your, dare I say, affectionate put downs keep me from being too much of a smart ass to all the wrong people. Also, when you pretend to be ignorant so that I have to teach you things it makes me feel more prepared for my job and I deeply appreciate it when you do. It means a lot to me. Our relationship, as strange as it is, actually works which is rare for me. Don't let those racist skin headed rednecks put a bullet through more than just my chest," Josh said with an emotional gulp. He paused and ran a hand through his hair before looking up at her with near tearful eyes. "Please?"

Donna's eyes began to water and she immediately wiped the tears away with the heels of her hands. She took a deep breath and uncrossed her arms. "You call that genuine and heartfelt? Normal people don't curse when they're pretending to be a sap, Josh."

He chuckled and nodded. "Your affection for me is staggering."

"Shut up," Donna said with a small grin. "I'm heading back to the office. Do you need anything?"

"Actually, yeah, I left some paperwork on my desk that I need for—"

"You don't," Donna said simply.

"Don't what?"

"You don't need any paperwork and I'm not bringing it to you," Donna told him firmly.

"Donna—"

"Shut up, Josh. The Doctor said no. So I'm saying no," Donna said with a quirked brow. "Okay?"

"Aren't you _my_ assistant?"

"Yes," Donna answered dutifully.

"Shouldn't you be doing what _I_ ask?"

"Do I normally do _everything_ you ask?" Donna asked him with a grin.

"Yes."

Donna stared at him accusingly.

"Okay, no."

"And didn't you just give me a 'heartfelt and genuine' speech about how we should go back to _normal_?" Donna asked with smug sweetness.

"How did I know that would come back to bite me in the ass?" Josh said with a sigh.

Donna grinned at him and winked before reaching past him for the door knob. "It's a good ass, though. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Josh let her move him out of the way while staring at her in surprise. "Did you just hit on me?"

"You bet I did. What are you going to do about it?" Donna asked with a challenging smirk.

"Not a thing," Josh said with a chuckle. "Not a single thing."

"Good," she said as she opened the door. "See you later, Josh. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone. Okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Josh said with a nod. "Donna?"

"Yeah?" She said as she turned in the open doorway.

"Thank you," Josh said softly.

"My pleasure," Donna said with an affectionate smile. "I'll be back in exactly two hours. Call me if you need anything. Anything _except_ for work." Josh smirked at her and she glared at him. "I mean it, Josh. _No work_. Or I will personally make sure all nearby cell towers are chopped down."

"That's my girl," he muttered to himself with a chuckle. The door closed behind her and Josh let his stare linger on the closed door for a moment longer than necessary. His phone rang a second later and he answered it quickly.

"Josh Lyman," he said as he flipped open the phone.

"I heard that."

Josh grinned at the feigned tone of offense in Donna's voice. "I was hoping you did."


End file.
